Rules
by Jhaede
Summary: An infection spreads through the SGC and Sam and Jack are forced to confront their feelings about each other whilst the rest of the team are trying to save the SGC personnel.
1. Rules Are Made To Be Followed

**Disclaimer and A/N: **I own Stargate. Yes, I, a 16 year old girl, made all of it up. Even though it was created when I was about four, or was it six? Can't quite remember. If you're gullible enough to believe that then you won't even understand my story! Of course I don't own it… though I do, in my heart. Obviously.

Apologies if you don't understand it all, it is after ALL Stargate seasons and ALL Stargate Atlantis seasons, now onto Stargate Universe which is developing into quite an interesting story, though it doesn't take place there, if you've not watched all of these, it might be slightly confusing.

Forgive any errors for I have a language disability, not that I let that stop me, it's only minor and I try to proof read it and spell check but… I always miss SOMETHING!

**For those that haven't seen everything: ** All you need to know that the Stones are basically some alien device that they had originally. A team was on a planet trying to configure the Stargate to teleport them to a ship called the Destiny, they did so but can't get back and did in an emergency since the planet was going to explode, they took little with them but they did take the stones. The stones allow two people to swap bodies and I always thought it would be an easy fix to have Daniel and Sam use them to look at the ship but… I guess that might end the show or something? Anyway, enjoy.

**Chapter One: Rules Are Made To Be Followed**

There was a debriefing at 02:00 about the last mission SG-1 embarked on. It was a routine meet and greet to a friendly planet, the natives were fairly primitive but grew a miraculous healing herb that cleaned wounds of any bacteria and encouraged an overall quicker healing process. This debriefing was not on the mind of the team though, there was another meeting that SG-1 had come to cloud their heads instead.

The recent situation with some of their people and civilians on the Destiny in another galaxy had everyone busy; nobody would have been better suited to use the stones to study the ship than Dr. Daniel Jackson and Lt. Colonel Samantha Carter. However, given that the stones were sometimes faulty, a certain man in recent power disliked the idea of risking two of his closest friends and old team mates, swapping bodies and being in another galaxy, this meeting was about that matter and how General Jack O'Neill was being a bit of a power using ass.

"It is good to see you Colonel Carter. Are you heading to the debriefing room to meet with O'Neill?" Teal'c had just bumped into her through a door, almost causing her to lose her footing and fall straight flat on her back were she not so quick with her reflexes.

"Ah, Teal'c, thank you for that."

"My apologies, I could not see you." Teal'c bowed his head with a cheeky grin etched upon his face.

"Must be that old age getting to you, eh?" Sam jokingly punched his shoulder sharing the same grin but it wavered a bit when he merely raised his eyebrow at her as usual. "Perhaps we should just… go…" she said awkwardly pointing towards the staircase.

"Indeed." Teal'c said bluntly and began walking up with his hands behind his back. Sam breathed a heavy sigh, joking around with Teal'c had always been a difficulty.

"Daniel Jackson, Vala Mal Doran, it is good to see you." Teal'c greeted them with the same bow and Vala waved enthusiastically, then received a strange look from Daniel.

"What? At least I was saying hello, Mr Grumpy Pants." Vala folded her arms and frowned but soon changed it to a look of teasing directed towards Daniel.

"Right… Vala, why don't you go ahead to the debriefing room and try not to cause **too** much trouble?"

"Sir, yes sir," she mockingly saluted him "Oh wait… I forgot you're not in the military, so I guess I don't have to go." She smiled at her tormenting of Daniel but was pushed to the side.

"Just go…"

"Alright, alright… someone's bossy." And so she skipped up the stairs back to her bouncy self.

"Is everything alright, Daniel Jackson?"

"Oh just… peachy." Daniel smiled falsely.

"Nervous too, huh?" Sam nodded with the same smile.

"More like anxious…"

"Yeah got that too…"

Just then General Laundry appeared from nowhere, well down the stairs. "You three, come up to the debriefing room, as I'm sure you know, General O'Neill isn't one for meetings and is threatening to… well you don't want to know."

"Zat us if I'm not mistaken." Said Sam, proceeding up the stairs followed by her team mates.

"He must have forgotten how painful those things are." Groaned Daniel.

* * *

"Carter, Danny boy!" the General greeted them happily with outstretched arms, not expecting a hug but for the sheer amusement. "**Teal'c.**" he said gruffly but instead of the usual eyebrow received a curt nod from Teal'c and a smile.

"It is good to see you once again O'Neill, you have been missed. Though I do not see how you thought causing us extreme pain or knocking us unconscious would have aided you in the need for a quick meeting."

"Teal'c, Teal'c… always one to spoil the fun."

"Let's just… get down to business shall we?" Cameron said from across the table, he had been waiting for some time now and was growing impatient.

"Yesl, I'm in need of my morning coffee." Joked Hank who sat in his seat and gestured the others to do so as well.

"So… what'cha all been up to?" Jack asked avoiding the main subject as usual.

"How about… **not** being aboard the Destiny to help them get home?" frowned Daniel.

"Now Daniel, there is a very good reason for that."

"Oh really? Would you care to explain it to me Jack because I'm having some trouble seeing the greater cause of being here doing routine missions instead of technically being there getting people back home."

"Daniel, you and Carter are needed here, if something went wrong and you were still with the Stones-"

"Sir, we know the risks, going through the Stargate itself is a bigger risk."

"Yes well… I'm General and I say no. We need you here. Rush is one of the best scientists around and if he can't figure out a way home, you don't have much chance either. No offense, Carter."

"None taken, Sir."

"Wait what? You're just… giving up?" Daniel frowned and glared at Sam.

"I'm sorry Daniel but he has a point."

"So what was the point of this meeting exactly?" Vala pouted next to Daniel fidgeting with her hands in boredom.

"Look guys, you're not going, that's it! SG-1 is still needed for keeping our contracts right, you think the nice snakeheads will stay friendly if some other team goes off to say hi?"

"Nice snakeheads, Sir?" Carter gave him a meaningful look, after all her father had been a Tok'ra.

"Now I don't mean offense to your Dad, Carter, he was a great man, but I still never liked that… thing in his head!"

"Well folks, it seems this meeting should be adjourned we are getting a little off topic." General Laundry rose from his seat.

"Agreed! Now… are they serving cake today? I heard someone say cake at some point."

"No… no Jack they aren't." pouted Daniel who was still upset at not being able to go to the Destiny.

"God damnit Hank, don't I tell you enough times to make sure there is cake when I visit? Is it too much to ask?"

"Sorry Jack, but I have better things to do." He offered an apologetic smile.

"Oh I see, well, no cake for you on my birthday then!" Jack rocked back in his chair and waited for everyone to leave then realised nobody had been actually dismissed. "Er… dismissed, yes, shoo… go, the lot of you."

The room cleared out of people, Daniel ushering Vala along with Teal'c offering Sam a meaningful glance, she stayed in the room however, hovering near behind her seat and biting her lip.

"Carter? Is there something wrong? Other than the… stone situation."

"Well Sir… yes, there has been, for a long time. Can we talk somewhere more private?"

"Sure… let's go to Hank's office, I'm sure he won't mind it being occupado for the time being, especially since I got no cake." He said grudgingly, Sam giggled slightly and followed him up.

* * *

As the door closed behind them Sam took a deep breath and calmed her nerves, Jack stood behind the desk, the typical position of a man in charge and his subordinate.

"Carter?"

"Sir."

"Well… what's up?"

"Sir… General," she sighed, saying this was harder than she imagined. "There's no easy way to say this… I've tried it before but it seems every time I do something comes up and I've been avoiding it for a long, long time now. Soon there won't be much time left."

"Well, what is it?" he left from behind the desk and sat on it in front of her instead, slightly concerned now but still oblivious.

"I… love you, Sir." She gulped and blinked several times, her heart pounding away.

"Carter…"

"No don't say anything. Look I know how this goes. We both danced around this for years and I'm sick to death of it. We're getting old for crying out loud!" she stared into his eyes with such passion of grief, she'd waited so long to say this, something he already knew but had never heard. Jack bit his lip slightly and looked the ground, crossing his arms. "I know that… you're my senior officer. There's good reason for us not doing this sooner, but I tried Jack, I tried to move on… I miss you terribly, I hardly get to see you anymore and it's harder than standing next to you and fighting by your side."

"Carter we can't talk about this."

"Yes, we can, and we're going to, whether you like it or not because you owe me that much."

"Sam…"

"No! Stop it! I loved Pete, but not as much as you, he was a good kind man and deserved a hell of a lot better than me for what I did to him, I realised he'd never be you, nobody ever would, so here I am. Doing what should have been done from the start."

"Sam, we can't, we've been through this… okay maybe not in so many words but you know as well as I that nothing can happen."

"Why not? You don't think you matter more to me than me career? I don't give a damn about it in comparison."

"Sam, I'm too old..."

"Stop it. I don't care about your age, I never have, you're a lot older than me but I don't give a damn. I love **you**, nothing changes that."

"Well** I** think you deserve someone younger, who can be with you longer and give you a family, I had a kid Carter, my chance for that is all gone, I've just got my duty now."

"Haven't we given enough to the world? We've done more than any one person ever has, last years of happiness is too much to ask for millions of lives being countlessly saved?"

"Sam, please…"

"NO!" she cried, the tears steaming up in her eyes, her face beginning to get red, she was distraught, a single tear rolled down her cheek and it took all her strength to resist scrunching her face up to simply cry "I'm sick to death of this."

"I know…" he said quietly and sighed, he tried to resist but he could feel her eyes burning into his head, he looked up and instantly regretted it, seeing those blue eyes filled with tears, he hated it.

"You're just going to give up? Completely? Not even try?"

"Sam, as much as I'd love to, we **can't** do this, there's no way, even if we found one you'd be ridiculed for the rest of your life, whilst you might say you don't care now you will in the future."

"Then tell me you don't love me."

"What?"

"Tell me. Then I can move on. I've always stayed loyal to you because it was easier, I always had some hopeless hope, when I tried to move on I couldn't, I've accepted I want you and only you. If you don't want me though, not because of regulations and protocol but because you don't love me, I can let you go."

"Sam, I can't do that, I'm sorry."

"Damn you, you selfish bastard!"

"I love you Sam, always, I just can't do this… I can't do anything about it."

"So you pull an O'Neill and shove it to the back of your mind forever? What am I supposed to do? The same? Well I'm not you!" the sobs came easily now, she couldn't hold back, her brief attempt at recovering her hope vanished completely. The feeling of hopelessness, embarrassment and loneliness drowned her.

"Come 'ere…" he went to hug her but she resisted, hating him in that one moment, but her state of weakness got to her and she allowed herself to be embraced, comforted, the last time to be held by the man she loved but could never have.

* * *

After an awkward exchange of glances and wiping her eyes, Sam had left the room and went straight to the changing rooms, Jack sat in Hank's office staring blankly at the walls; he loved Sam more than anything but he couldn't **do** anything, so he always ignored it. It was easier. At the moment he was so sad to have caused her such pain, he felt nothing. Sam sat there on the bench, as she had done before when Jack was lost on the moon of a planet and cried out her heart once more. She soon heard the door opening and wiped her eyes though.

"Colonel Carter."

"Teal'c?" she sniffed.

"It is I." he sat next to her and looked at her face hidden in shame.

"Haven't we been through this before?" she sniffed then laughed slightly "This is the woman's locker room… for now."

"Indeed. It would seem you are the only person in it, however, and you are not using it for its purpose."

"Teal'c… please."

"I know you and General O'Neill have had many years of struggling to hide your feelings, do not be fooled, most have seen it. Even General Hammond knew and Dr Fraiser." Sam cried harder at this, the memory of her two beloved friends haunted her heart, Hammond had died of a heart attack and Fraiser… lost in combat, she would never forget either of them and could do with Janet's advice right now.

"I don't know what to do Teal'c, I've tried everything… I don't see the point anymore."

"You must not give up hope. Love finds ways no matter what, even if it is hidden and rarely shared, it is there. You are always in each other's hearts, and no law can take that away from you."

Sam swallowed when she heard his words, Teal'c always knew the right thing to say, she hugged him and he hugged her back, awkwardly as he does, and had done so before but Sam felt slightly better now. She would just have to sleep this one off. Jack however had a different story, he was too old and too alone, and he hid behind his mask of humour and would do anything for Sam, for his Carter. Yet, the real world always had need of him, she was right that they could easily ask for a happy retirement but he knew that he'd always regret it if the world suddenly blew up because he wasn't there to save it. The loving man he was died with Charlie, he could only cause Sam pain now, but now they both knew with certainty of how they felt for one another, that would make things slightly different but not much…

**A/N**

So I recently got out of my writer's block and read someone's story on Stargate, it got me into the thought process of how the character's act and such, I realised that Sam and Jack probably will never get together, which is so depressing, but what can you do huh? Other than speculate. I hope I captured their character well enough, I tried, sorry there was only one line from Mitchell but it was a Jack and Sam thing, I just love Vala and Daniel and how they interact and of course Teal'c. Who doesn't love Teal'c? Needs a shave though, bald Teal'c was cooler and he doesn't wear eyeliner anymore!

**NOTE: **I will ONLY update this if I get a good amount of reviews and people like it, or if I suddenly come up with new ideas. Since I'm terrible with updating I need encouragement from people and… it needs to be good.


	2. In the Event of an Emergancy

**Chapter Two: In the Event of an Emergency  
**

Vala sat in the debriefing room, playing drums with her fingers on the table. She got into a rhythm and bit her lip trying to play an earthen song through the tapping but quickly stopped from a glower from Daniel. "What now?" she frowned stubbornly.

"Vala, you realise we're at a debriefing."

"It's not even started yet!"

"Tapping your fingers consistently is not going to make it start any faster."

"Neither is sitting there, scowling!"

"Kids…" Mitchell leaned across his side of the table and gave them a disapproving look, "Play nicely now." Sam suddenly came through the door holding a blue file looking rather out of breath, closely followed by Teal'c.

"Sorry we're late… got caught up in something." Strangely, Sam was wearing her hair down; something she didn't do on the base. She tried to cover her slightly reddened face with it and started to set something up on the board.

"That's quite alright Colonel, though, I think we were going slightly stir crazy in here." General Landry smiled at Sam patiently whilst the others looked in her direction. Sam cleared her throat and looked to the floor then to the board, trying to avoid eye contact with anyone.

"Okay, so on planet P6F 402, known as Kalaenia to the locals, we found it was a fairly primitive society but with a great advancement in herbal medicine. They're willing to trade our knowledge for some of their herbs that create this amazing ointment for wounds, it cleans out the bacteria beautifully and could be really helpful in situations like a staff blast where the chances of infection are high."

"Yeah well… it all sounded good but I still don't trust 'em." Mitchell wrinkled his nose and crossed his arms. Sam sighed and began grinding her teeth.

"Just because the children stole your hat and you almost lost your pants _again_ does not mean they are evil, Cam." She smirked to herself.

"I don't think the General needs to know about my clothing issues, thanks."

"I do believe that Colonel Carter has a valid point in the reason as to why you dislike the Kalaenians, Colonel Mitchell." Teal'c spoke as an interruption, hoping to move the conversation along.

"This is all very fascinating Sam but I'm _starving!_ Can't we all go and eat something first?" Vala looked miserable and hopeful at the same time, completely ignoring Daniel's looks of discouragement – she'd learnt if she ignored Daniel's looks that he didn't really have as much authority over her.

"We'll all have lunch soon enough, Vala." The General pitched in, he too was rather hungry and wanted to speak to Jack who was still here for lunch, even if there was no cake. Although, the General did have quite a bit of paperwork to catch up on. "Colonel Carter, I hope you can research this herbal treatment with Doctor Lam before we use it?"

"Yes, Sir."

"Good. In that case, until further research is done, dismissed."

The team filed out of the room rather quickly but Sam stood there staring at the ground. "Well… nothing good is going to come from standing here Sam, you have to get your butt down to the cafeteria and eat something…" she turned her prepared presentation off and packed away her report, it seemed nobody was truly interested even though she went to all the effort "Maybe they have blue jello…"

* * *

Jack sat in the cafeteria poking his food round with his fork and he sighed, he really hadn't cheered up since his talk with Carter. He didn't particularly want to either. However, at the sight of his friend Daniel and the forever cheerful Vala, Jack could only put on a smile and offer them to sit with him.  
"Danny-boy, I hope we're not still too peeved and you can forgive your old friend."

"Of course Jack, as long as I can eat your blue jello."

"But… it was the last one…"

"Okay, fine. Though you don't seem to be eating any of your actual food. Just make sure to hide it all from Teal'c."

"Hide it from Teal'c? He's the one that took it all!" Jack pointed across the hall to Teal'c sitting on his own with at least three trays of food, shoving it down like he'd not eaten for weeks." I banished him from the table."

Daniel hung his head, laughing to himself. At that moment none other than Colonel Carter walked through and got her lunch, she seemed considerably saddened at the prospect of her blue jello not being there "Damn it…" she muttered to herself, then she noticed that Teal'c was sitting opposite to the General, Daniel and Vala. She also noticed he had too much blue jello. "Hey Teal'c, mind if I try to sit with you and eat some of your jello?"

"Not at all Colonel Carter, I am in fact quite lonely, I have been banished from O'Neill's table."

"Is that so…?"

"Indeed." He said coldly, glaring at the General. Sam smiled awkwardly and proceeded to eat the tasty blue jello.

**Unscheduled Off-world Activation!**

"Damn it!" Sam slammed the spoon down on the table and preceded to gate room, she was loud enough for the whole cafeteria to stop for a second and stare in confusion – except Jack.

"What's up Syler?"

"SG-5 are back early Sir, one of them is wounded."

"Get a medic down there, Colonel Carter, any news on that magical plant?"

"Sorry Sir, I haven't even begun to look at it I was eating my lunch." Sam frowned with worry and looked at the soldier down in the gate room; he had a pretty nasty wound. She went and looked over him.

"Please… Colonel… anything for the pain… anything!" the Soldier grasped her arm with a fierce painful look in her eyes. Sam gulped and nodded. He had already gotten infection from falling over in the dirt once he was hit.

"We can test a herbal treatment that's meant to help fight infection from-"

"**Anything!**" he screamed, Sam rushed off to find it and the doctors.

Later in the Infirmary the soldier seemed to be taking well to the treatment, Sam was pleased and continued her studies and observed her patient, so far, she couldn't find anything wrong. However, what Sam didn't seem to realise was that the primitive society was actually quite unhealthy and they only looked the opposite due to this herb they found, infused with something Sam hadn't discovered yet. It ridded the cells of most bad bacteria but the genetic structure of the people at the SGC and environment on earth were very different.

"Colonel, we have a problem." Dr Lam appeared at the door of Sam's lab looking rather urgent. Sam got up and went to the patient with her.

"What's wrong? He seemed fine two hours ago…"

"He was… whatever it is you gave him certainly worked but it seems to have worked too well, he's actually getting sicker now. His immune system is failing."

"What do you mean?"

"The infirmary has a lot of sick people in here, the ironic thing with hospitals is that whilst it's mainly clean and safe there are different types of sickness everywhere, the only thing that prevents us from picking up this is our immune system but the treatment you gave him eats away bacteria."

"So what you're saying is that the treatment's worked almost… too well?"

"Exactly. It seems that whatever is in that treatment is working to fight off infection but also the good bacteria within the Captain's system, probably because our systems are significantly different from the primitive race on Kalaenia."

"Oh my god… this is horrible!"

"I know."

"What can we do for him?"

"I really don't know, that's where I was hoping you'd come in, we need to find a treatment, whatever's in this stuff isn't entirely natural, I'm not sure what they told you but those people have a secret and it's almost like this stuff is alive… like all living things, it's hungry." The Doctor looked nervous and had a hopeful look in her eyes towards Sam. A burden heavier than the world fell upon her shoulders once more, Sam had always pulled through in emergencies and this time she supposed, should be no different; **should.**

"I'll get to work right away; I'll need a blood sample."

"Already got one." The Doctor passed a sample to Sam along with one previously and other details she may need. "I'd use a quarantined lab. This thing could spread if it's hungry."

"It may turn out we need to quarantine the entire SGC."

"If one more of the personal gets sick, I'll suggest it to the General."

Sam hurried on her way to the lab, almost running, but she was sensible enough to know if she ran she might trip and lose the samples, especially when she almost ran into General O'Neill.

"Carter! …No running in the halls now." His voice cracked at her name and instead of being full of bubbly humour it was filled with turmoil; Sam however, had no time for this.

"Sorry Sir, bit of an emergency." She said coldly and continued to a lab. Jack frowned and looked concerned, following her with his gaze. He started to head towards the General's office to get some information.

* * *

A few hours had gone by and already the treatment seemed to have turned into a disease, weakening random people's immune systems, a few however, especially those already sick, seemed to be okay. Sam worked in the lab but she couldn't think.

"Of all the times for _him _to be filled in your mind, it had to be now? Snap out of it Carter!" she bullied herself into a scientific way of thinking but it was no use. The SGC had been in fact quarantined and so the General hadn't been able to leave. That didn't stop him from wandering in to Sam's quarantined room though, no guards meant nobody but Sam to kick him out.

"Carter!" Jack boldly walked in eyeing his previous second in command, "working on a magical cure?"

"That's the idea, Sir."

"I'm sure you'll pull something out you're a- brain."

"Mhm."

"Well since you're waiting for that spinney thing to stop spinning I was thinking maybe we could talk?"

"I'm really busy, Sir."

"I know but we need to talk."

"What about?"

"Earlier."

"We did."

"No… we talked about something and now we need to talk about talking about that something."

"Sir I'm really busy here; another time."

"If I know correctly, Carter, there is a chance there won't _be_ another time." Jack walked over to the bench Sam was working at near the blood sample of the treatment.

"Well then there's definitely no point is there?"

"What do you mean by that?"

"Well what do you want, Sir? To resolve whatever it is we have and then die? Ultimately it will only distract me from my work."

"I don't mean to distract you Sam…"

"Then go." She looked at him coldly, she really was not in a good mood today and she knew she'd regret this later; she also knew she'd regret talking to him. It was at this point things all went horribly wrong. Jack, taken aback by how uncaring she was with her voice, reached out to touch her arm, as if to snap her out of it but clumsily hit the "spinney" thing and it fell. The test tube smashed on the table and all over his hand. Sam's eyes widened.

"Oh… SHIT! I'm sorry Sam, really!"

"Sir… do you have any cuts on that hand?"

"Uhm… I don't think so… not that are exposed, my thumb here had a bit of a paper cut but it's all plastered up."

"You could now be infected with the treatment..." She started him in shock, a spiral of despair filling her. Jack however remained in denial until he saw her eyes.

"What do we do?"

"We have no choice but to stay in here and for me to pull an idea out of my ass."

"No, you can go, you've not anything, go before you get infected." He ordered.

"I've been working with this for hours, I could already have it, we're stuck here, Sir." Jack looked at the floor, today really wasn't going well for anyone.

* * *

**A/N **

It may appear short, I don't know, it's 2000 words or so long and 5 pages long on Word, also it's taken me ages to write it so… I'm giving up. A nice cliffhanger too! This story won't go on for ages, since I'm really not that inventive with scientifical things… if you want to argue about the biological facts well, don't, because you'll ruin it, ssshhhh! Alien things always nom bacteria!

The disclaimer is in the first chapter DEAL WITH IT!

I apologise for any errors, I am human. I believe this excuse only stops working after you ascend like Daniel. Who knows when I'll update it, I don't, sorry. I hope you liked it.


	3. Facts are Stubborn Things

**Chapter Three: Facts Are Stubborn Things**

Colonel Samantha Carter and General Jack O'Neill stood facing each other with an expression of fear etched upon their faces. The General had his hand still held out from where he had been about to touch Sam; it was covered in someone else's blood. Sam's breathing had been getting heavier and heavier since Jack had walked into the room, from fury to fear. The fact was that they were both in danger now, in danger of dying an unpredictable death, one which couldn't be cured by chopping off anybody's heads, couldn't be cured by the modern medicine of today. Although; it also couldn't be cured by Sam standing around staring into the dark eyes of the man she had loved for so long.

In her frustration, Sam shot her eyes to the ground and sighed deeply; she collected herself and began to clean the blood of the floor with a rag, planning to burn it straight after. The General stood where he was, his hand still held out, and his eyes always watching her. He was stupid, a stupid fool he thought. How could he have interrupted Carter with such a personal matter, when she was working on saving the lives of not only the personnel on the base but possibly the world if this thing got out of hand? She had come to him in confidence, after these long years, hoping for a solution for their never-ending problem. Did she think he never thought of it either? The temptation had always been great, too great sometimes. Hell, it may have cost their lives years ago, when they were believed to be Zatarks or whatever those stupid Go 'auld things were called! Personally, the word Zanex always stuck in _his_ mind. If it hadn't been for their forbidden feelings about each other, perhaps that whole charade would have never happened; Jack was damn lucky Sam was as smart as she was to have figured it out.

Coming to his senses, Jack withdrew his hand and looked round for another rag, watching the other one burn on top of gauze on a Bunsen burner. Sam had insisted they wear safety masks in case it released any harsh chemicals from the burning; he had had it thrust upon him whilst he was in his shocked mental state. Fortunately, Sam didn't detect anything dangerous from her magical geeky science kit. He decided to wash it off instead, water couldn't irritate it surely? He looked at Sam warily as he made his way to the basin and turned on the water; she didn't make any protest.

"So Carter," Jack said shakily "I hate to ask but… any ideas?"  
"No, Sir." She bit her lip and leant against a table, sighing. "Dr Lam said it was eating our good bacteria as well as the bad, due to the physiology of our race in comparison to the Kalaenian's."

"Damn that bacteria…" Jack frowned sarcastically.

"...Sir?"

"Nothing, nothing. So, uhm, yummy humans, huh?"

"I guess so, Sir." Sam sighed once more and tried to calm herself down, she ended up staring at the General's hand, running through every scenario in her head, nothing seemed to make sense though…

* * *

Daniel and Teal'c had been helping Dr Lam in the infirmary, the risk of getting sick wasn't much better than anybody else. The disease had spread practically everywhere now, it seemed rare people were only just carriers though, causing even more confusion.

"How can someone carry a bacteria eating disease?" Daniel frowned.

"I think disease is hardly the word to use for this anymore, however I don't know what else to call it. It's more like an attack but I'm a Doctor not a soldier, it makes more sense to call it a disease." Dr Lam rambled to herself as she started giving some of the patients multi-vitamins, although they didn't exactly do much, she was hoping it would slow down the process by introducing new nutrients in the system.

"Dr Jackson. I do believe we should go and inform Colonel Carter of this." Teal'c stated.

"Huh? What?" Daniel looked up from the patient he was staring at.

"That some are carriers." Teal'c blinked at Daniel bluntly.

"Oh, right, got'cha. Let's go." The two of them tuned out of the infirmary and towards Sam's quarantined lab. "Huh… that's odd. The door's locked… SAM?" Daniel banged on the door, listening intently, maybe something drastic had happened? Had she gotten infected?

"Daniel Jackson. Is it not better to go to the observatory to speak with Colonel Carter?"

"Oh yeah, of course…" Daniel shook his head, it seemed like his brain was slowing down. Upon arrival at the observatory, both Daniel and Teal'c were surprised to find not only Sam but the General O'Neill in there, looking rather solemn and dumbfounded.

Daniel leant over the microphone and tapped it twice, to check if it was working and then, in confusion spoke. "Uh… Jack?"

The General spun round at the mention of his name from above and raised his eyebrows "Daniel! What are you doing here?"

"Well, what are you doing there?"

"Oh you know… just hanging around."

"In a quarantined lab?"

"Weeell… one cannot really kick a General out of anything, you know." The General looked sheepish.

"Uhuh, and just why are you two locked in there?"

"Because, Daniel, the General got blood all over his hand." Sam joined in, her arms crossed. She looked harrowed; Daniel pulled a slight face.

"It would appear you are most clumsy, General O'Neill." Teal'c added.

"Watch it Mister…" Jack fake glared at Teal'c. Daniel shook his head and got on with business.

"Anyway… so you two are stuck in there now until Sam comes up with a cure?"

"Pretty much Daniel," shrugged Sam "though that's not going all too great."

"Oh yes, Sam; we came to tell you that Dr Lam says she thinks there are carriers in the SGC."

"You mean some people aren't actually getting sick after being in contact with people that are?"

"Yup."

"Well this is great; she needs to look over them right away!"

"Well, she would, but we don't exactly know who those people are, it requires a lot of tracking…"

"I'm sure the General will be able to go through the trouble. You just have to order everyone to stay put!" Sam looked slightly relieved at the prospect of new information. This was when Cam appeared round the corner.

"Howdy, folks. Got a room I see?"

"Enjoying the view?" Jack half-smiled at Colonel Mitchell.

"Yes, Sir." Cam nodded and then on second thought… "I mean no, Sir. I mean… how'd you get stuck in there, Sir?"

"The General is clumsy." Teal'c cheekily added.

"Thanks for that, T." Jack slumped against the wall.

"I still think it's something to do with those damned Kalanashbians."

"Kalaenians." Daniel corrected.

"Yeah, I don't care what they're called; they can be 'The Karrottops' for all I care. They're evil and I know it! This plant stuff of theirs has caused nothing but trouble."

"It would appear that a visit to the Kalaenians would be most appropriate."

"We might risk bringing it to them, Teal'c," Sam started "For all we know they could be innocent and it's just our physiology that's caused the problem."

"That's exactly what I'm saying, Sam, they could know that." Cam started.

"Oh comon, Cam, even if they did know that why would they give us a herb to kill us all?"

"I don't know. Maybe we should go ask them?"

"I agree!" Jack blurted out as the rest of them stared at him "What? I am still a General, aren't I? Go tell Hank about the mission and take Vala, let her do some snooping."

"Yes, Sir." Cam half-saluted and went off to find the other General. Daniel shifted on the spot and looked at Jack through the thick paned glass.

"Are you sure about this Jack?"

"Yes, Daniel, now go and question the little people and be done with it!"

"What if we bring the disease to them?"

"WEAR SUITS!" Jack began to grow frustrated "Honestly, how do you guys get anything done without me around anymore?" he looked around and then caught Sam's eye and started to notice the intricate stitching in his shoes…

**A/N** I'm sorry guys, but this stuff is impossible to write. I have the hugest and longest writer's block one could ever imagine, which is a shame since the entire story I came up with seems to be amazing in my opinion. I just can't write it quite as well as I'd like to. However, I dislike unfinished projects so… who knows over how long (I've only just finished one other story that took 5 years) I WILL finish it… so you know, I apologise for you probably having to going back and read it all again…

You know what would make me do it better and faster? Reviews…

Re-uploaded as a reader pointed out I kept calling General O'Neill, Colonel. Old habits die hard, eh? Well I think I sorted that but if I didn't I apologise.


	4. All Roads Lead to Rome

** Chapter Four: All Roads Lead to Rome**

**A/N: **Oh you guys… you did as I asked and now I'm back into the writing mood. I've got a lovely plan set out for this story now and it should be done quicker than I'd hoped, though I'm afraid the chapters will still be a bit short as I don't have much time to write them. I'm English so torch is a flashlight, basically, in case some people thought I meant one of those fiery sticks. I apologise for any mistakes made, please point them out so I can correct them (not very possible in previous chapters however)

* * *

The elite Stargate team, minus their more intelligent member, exited the circular portal into the half barren land that was Kalaenia. There were still trees, here and there, the buildings wooden with some falling to pieces. Cam often compared it to a wild western civilisation, although there were some parts of green; just not many. The Kalaenians were a primitive society in that they had no technology or knowledge that was much different from previous centuries on earth. The only difference was the food, the herbs, the types of trees. Otherwise, it could have been taken for as another Earth.

There was a great stone wall that created a passageway from the Stargate to the nearby village, a watering hole on either side in the middle. Daniel said it was probably to do with when the Stargate was first built here by the ancients and perhaps a ritual offering by the modern people, why though he couldn't quite comprehend. The group headed towards the village, Cam suspicious, Teal'c tense yet calm, Daniel wary and hoping to solve any matter that may arise peacefully… and Vala nowhere to be seen.

"Hey Daniel…" Mitchell began,

"Yeees?"

"Where'd your girlfriend go?"

"What?" Daniel stopped and looked around frantically "…Vala. I swear to God!"

"Hey, whady'a know? He's starting to realise who 'girlfriend' is!" Cam chuckled to himself. The obvious attraction between Daniel and Vala was there, somewhere in their strange relationship. It was Daniel who had to take care of Vala, wherever the daredevil went. "I'm sure she'll be fine, she's not stupid."

"Not stupid no, but she has a habit of getting **us**into trouble…"

"The SGC is filled with a murderous disease, how could we be in even more trouble?"

"Now you've gone and done it…" Daniel muttered as they began entering the village, his thoughts floating towards Vala's actions whilst trying to think of a way to explain things to the Kalaenians without seeming offensive.

Meanwhile, Vala had quickly disappeared from the group as soon as they'd exited the gate, climbing and hopping the wall with ease; these Kallywhatsits really needed better architecture if they wanted to have any sort of defence. From there she found a lush green forest, one of the rare parts of the planet the team had seen that had any plant part to it. Vala was curious at how such a primitive society could survive on such barren land, though she had previously dismissed this idea due to the so called miraculous plants they had discovered here.

She had decided some snooping was in order; Daniel would never have allowed it, thinking she'd do something amateur like get herself into trouble, hah! He got her into more trouble than she could ever get out of. Just by **not **listening to her she ended up on some Ori planet, impregnated with some Ori baby destined for pure evil. She really, really wished that was one of the times he had trusted her. Nethertheless, he had grown certainly more trusting of her recently but this was too big a thing to get Daniel involved in, she could only hope that he didn't notice her absence for as long as possible and when he did, that he kept his mind of just chatting nicely to the Kallywhatsits until she could get back to the gate, pretending she'd only just arrived with some urgent news… or something.

When the SG-1 had first come here, Vala had noted the surroundings carefully. She wasn't always daydreaming and looking for handsome alien men as Daniel had frequently suggested, she actually took into account how people built their cities or towns. What were its defences? What were its weaknesses? Who was in charge? Who was likely to get you killed? And who was easily to manipulate? Vala had found answers to most of these: The defences were primitive and whilst probably effective against each other, no match for someone of her experience nor her technology, this was also its weakness. A man named Mathoan was in charge and wore the ugliest robes she had ever seen, his wife Celestin was a quiet girl who seemed to possess a wicked look in her eye and their daughter Mithrana was practically a vegetable. The townsmen seemed easily enough to manipulate, just through Vala's sheer feminine charms although the wives seemed to strangely be the most dangerous thing here.

Vala had also noticed the building they had entered beforehand to obtain some of the strange herb she couldn't even hope to remember the name of, to have a door they weren't so keen on letting her in through. Once they'd exited the building, she had noticed the lush trees behind the building and made a note of this. It was here that Vala was headed for, skulking in the lush forests, she finally found the back of the village. No wall. These people really were quite foolish. She peeked through a hole in the wood and squinted her eyes; it was dark. Pressing her ear against the hole, she couldn't hear anything and so decided it was time for a little trespassing. Feeling the back of the building for loose boards, she came to the side of it and bit her lip. There was a door right in front of her. Sighing at herself for not being so observational when she'd just credited herself on not making amateur mistakes, she slowly creaked the door open and stuck her head inside.

Nobody was there; the door she had witnessed on their last trip was on the opposite side of the room and closed. Vala went through, careful to be quiet, shutting the door behind her and looking around for anything incriminating. There were desks, bits of paper, messy office looking… a few musty books on shelves and a wall with an oddly shaped colour. Vala walked up to it quietly and frowned, a bookshelf was bang smack in the middle; could this be any more obvious? She tapped quietly on the slightly darker wall and it was hollow. She pushed the bookcase to the side a bit, it was slightly heavy, and found a handle to a door.

"Well, seems like this wasn't the only hiding place after all." Vala rubbed her hands together and examined the lock, picking it with easy and pushing it open. Nobody would be inside a locked door, would they? She went in and turned on her torch, the darkness was slightly worrying but she couldn't hear anything. Pointing the torch at the floor to check there even was a floor; she slowly closed the door behind her and ventured inside. Suddenly she dropped it; a cloth was thrust over her mouth and she lashed about trying to break free… soon she began to get tired and she fell to the dark floor unconscious.


	5. Chain Only As Strong As Its Weakest Link

**Rules Chapter 5: A Chain Is Only As Strong As Its Weakest Link**

**A/N: **_Yeah okay long time no post, but you lot didn't review the freebie chapter I gave you so I was annoyed and sad. So sad. Yes I know there isn't a lot of Jack and Sam at the moment, but this part is essential to the story and I promise there will be lots of it._

_I'm having trouble bringing up lovey dovey stuff at the moment, I need more experience in life currently for influence but I don't really have much to go on so it's goiiing to suck for a while BUT FEAR NOT! Some shall come, I need ideas for them chatting so if you can bothered leave me ideas in reviews please._

_Just think of it like an episode – they're never entirely surrounding two characters, there are other mishaps going on. I have a plan this time and I wrote it down so I shouldn't forget what I'm doing. Hope you enjoy, please review or I shall be sad again. So very, very sad… and note I have now gotten carpal tunnel syndrome from writing this SO YOU BETTER LIKE IT! It seemed so much longer on Word than it ever does on FanFiction...  
_

_I used the Grace episode because I adoooore Bubbles and it's such an awesome episode… points towards anyone who can finish Sam's explanation of how bubbles exist, cos I wanted to know and ze EVIL child cut her off!_

* * *

Whilst Vala was unknowingly being kidnapped, Daniel was trying to communicate matters with the leader, Mathoan. Mitchell was looking around the village, wrinkling his nose and being wary of any children who might try to steal his pants again, whilst Teal'c was studying the surroundings and considering where Vala may be.

"I am sorry Doctor Jackson but really, we have no idea what could have caused this problem with your world…" Mathoan smiled sheepishly at Daniel who furrowed his brow together and then suspiciously watched Mathoans's daughter who stared at him with an evil glint in her eye, silently.

"Surely, you must know something? I mean, there has to be some sort of explanation, what do your people eat? Anything that might make them immune to this effect or maybe something we have something to do with our physiology?"

"I am afraid I am not skilled in the herbal medicine. I only decide moral matters… the food and medicine is the job of the women. You might have better look speaking to them, uhm… if you'll excuse me I, uh…" Mathoan stuttered and snuck away whilst Daniel sighed and looked around.

"Where's Vala?" He asked Teal'c.

"There has been no sign of her, Doctor Jackson."

"Do you think she's in trouble?"

"Whenever is Vala Mal Doran not in trouble?" Teal'c gave Daniel one of those meaningful looks and Daniel pursed his lips as usual.

"So kids, what are we doin'?"

"Cam, have you seen Vala around?"

"Mm… nope, she's disappeared as usual. Probably chattin' up some guys in a tavern."

"I'm worried about her."

"Jackson, have you gotten anything out of this Mathooda guy?"

"Mathoan." Daniel corrected.

"Right, yeah…"

"Unfortunately not, he says the women are in charge of the herbs. He also was acting suspicious."

"I would be too if I was responsible for potentially killing an entire race on an alien planet. Let's go follow him." Mitchell smiled at Daniel and reluctantly, he followed along with Teal'c to where Mathoan was heading.

* * *

Vala coughed, the musky scent of something clogged her sinuses and she squinted her eyes open as they adjusted to the bright light shoved in her face, the rest clouded by darkness. She rolled her head around; it was strained, so clearly she'd been asleep for some time, she had been tied to a chair and finally she was able to make the outline of a figure in front of her.

"Look… I know roleplay and bondage is fun and all but I think you've just taken it a little too far." Vala anxiously joked; she enjoyed bantering with anyone who ever captured you. At least she did until she was slapped in the face. Vala rolled her jaw around and blinked. "Ow."

"You will be silent, harpy." The shadow spoke, it was strangely not a male voice as Vala had expected.

"A female? Well, even kinkier then. Unfortunately I'm not really into females, I tried it once… wasn't the same. I must say, you do play the dominant role very well but I'm not good for the submissive type, that's why it failed, always fighting over who did wh-"another slap was received, this time to the other cheek.

"Be. Quiet. I am not here for your strange alien jokes." The shadow snarled.

"Well you brought me here; you can't blame the entertainment when you kidnapped it." Vala shrugged, thinking of what to do whilst the shadow laughed with her breath.

"You people from Earth. You think you're so much better than us, don't you? Just because your world has strange creatures of metal. You think, you can just come here and demand we trade with you? To give you our precious herbs, ones that you would steal from us in exchange for metal creatures who would further destroy our lands?" The shadow began walking around Vala; it was definitely a woman as she had a sickly sweetening scent.

"Hey, I'm not even from Earth I just tag along for the handsome devils," Vala smirked and then followed the shadowy woman's outline as it circled round her "You know, Muscles, Cam, Daniel… it's a lot of boys to seduce. Daniel is a particularly tricky one…" Vala gazed into space, fantasising at that moment of the situation reversed. Daniel in the chair and Vala walking around him… it had happened before when they first met. Another slap to the face.

"I told you to be quiet…"

"So gag me! Look, are you going to tell me your evil little plot and then threaten to kill me or just make me sit here in the dark? It's boring!" Vala felt frustrated, had captors no sense of fun anymore? Mental note that woman on woman captor-hostage relationships were the worst idea ever.

"Very well, if that is what you wish. I suppose somebody has to appreciate the genius of it," The shadow stopped walking and turned to look at Vala, who rolled her eyes at this woman's idiocy "The herb we sent to your planet is not dangerous – to us. Your system is significantly different to us, especially in its vitamins. Our land has grown to be overused; we cannot relocate because that is the same problem with everybody else. Your land however… other than its metal machines there are millions of acres to be used for farming… we could repopulate there, expand into a better society. You have already ruined it." The woman snapped and leant over, staring into Vala's eyes with hatred. Vala was taken aback and strained her head backwards with her eyebrow arched. "That is why you all must die."

"You… you're Mathoans's wife, Celestin…" Vala blinked, "Oh you are so in trouble." Suddenly a surge of pain went through Vala's arm, and then it was gone, an ache left over. Vala frowned and tried to look towards it.

"Hey, OW! What did you do?"

"The drug has now entered into your system," the woman smirked a cold smile at Vala. "You will die within hours. Maybe even less than the earthen people if you are an alien to them, as you so claim…" Celestin stood up and briskly wandered off into the darkness, leaving Vala alone out of breath already.

* * *

Back at the SGC, the Colonel and General sat on opposite sides of the room, on the floor, staring at the walls. Jack would occasionally glance over at Sam and try to say something but figured it would be best to leave her to her thoughts. General Landry had stopped by now and again, to see if they needed anything or if Sam had come up with any ideas regarding a cure but she just solemnly shook her head and looked tired as hell. Jack felt fine, but apparently he still wasn't allowed to go. Not that he wanted to anyway. There was no way he was leaving Carter like this.

Without warning, Sam began bashing her head against the wall "Damn it, damn it, damn it!"

"Hey, hey, hey, hey!" Jack rushed over and held her away from the wall, half inspecting her head for anything and half trying to calm her down. "Carter!" Sam looked up at him and sighed dropping her gaze to the floor.

"I'm sorry, Sir… it's just. I can't think of anything! I try, it's probably so simple and right in front of me but every time I do I get distracted by-" she cut off, realising she couldn't very well admit that the General was in her thoughts in such a time. Any time.

"Look Carter… Sam. Maybe you should take a break and you know… not hit your head against a wall."

"Yes, Sir…" she said, embarrassed at her immature actions.

"Maybe we could… have that talk now?"

Sam glared up at him, talk about that now, really? Then again, he was right, they didn't exactly have much time to do that and Sam was going insane. The General had a knack for coming up with brilliant ideas out of the blue in a completely off related topic sometimes. It was a win-win perhaps?

"What is there to discuss?" She shrugged. She knew very well what she wanted to say but that was besides the point, she was still pissed to be quite honest. Jack sighed and sat in front of her, fidgeting like a school boy.

"We've… clearly been through a lot together and well… felt a lot for one another," he bit his lip, he wasn't very good with all this talking business "I… I know what I said earlier and I am really too old for you but-"

"I told you I don't care."

"I know but I-"

"No buts. I don't care." She half glared at him, and half looked at him desperately.

"What if I care?"

"Then tell me you don't love me."

"Carter, please…"

"There are only two ways out of this, Sir. You tell me that or we try something, because I'm getting older and I won't be able to find someone else at this rate. Not knowing that you'd always be my number one choice… not knowing you couldn't be happy either."

"Sam, I'd love to but we are both in the airforce and we both love our jobs too much to give it up, although sitting behind a desk is far less fun than going through the Stargate… either way I wouldn't let you give this up. What if the world blew up when it needed us most?"

"I could do something, take a part time job… you could leave the military and be a consultant or something…"

"What? Like a damned politician? Like hell will I be one of those, Carter!"

"Sir… I'm just saying, maybe you wouldn't have to leave completely."

Jack sighed and covered his face with his hands, he was tired; mentally and physically, from being old, from the experiences, from this, from being alone. He so often wished that Charlie hadn't found his gun… a different life. Maybe in an alternate reality. It wasn't his though, even if it was at the same time… it was a different reality's Jack, he had to deal with this one.

"You know, you did save me once, Sir." Sam piped up after a few minutes of silence.

"…Only once?" Jack frowned. Sam giggled to herself.

"I meant when you weren't there, Sir."

"Let's cut the 'Sir', shall we Carter?"

"Carter?"

"Sam."

"Okay… Jack. Sorry, it's a habit."

"Yeah, I know…" he sighed. He did kind of like it though.

"It was when I was stuck on that ship in a gas cloud that was… kind of alive."

"Yeah… I remember that." He frowned, memories came to him of when he was irritable around everyone, Teal'c coming to see him in the changing rooms to try and talk to him. He shifted uncomfortably.

"You remember me telling you thankyou at the end of it all… for nothing?"

"Yeah…"

"There was a reason. It wasn't nothing… I'd hit my head and started hallucinating."

"Okaaay…" Jack thought Sam was going a bit crazy and she looked as if she regretted saying anything but he then remembered this was his Carter, his genius. She was far from crazy. "I'm sorry, go on."

"First Daniel and Teal'c appeared before me… telling me I couldn't sleep because I'd die. Telling me to give up. My dad even showed up… It was only towards the end that you showed up… out of uniform, sitting across from me."

"Did I promise a party with cake then too?" Jack raised an eyebrow and Sam tried not to laugh.

"Sir, please…" she damned herself for calling him that again but she couldn't help it.

"Sorry." He muttered.

"Who told you to give up?"

"Daniel."

"I'll kill him…"

"Jack!" she laughed "he was a hallucination of my self doubt."

"So why project it onto him?"

"Well it makes sense, Sir… Jack. Teal'c is a warrior, he'd never give up. You believe in me right until the end… Daniel was the only one left."

"I see."

"What did your Dad tell you?"

"…I… he told me about how my mother made him happy. How I deserved someone. To stop letting the things making my truly happy get in the way. He told me that before I died to but I didn't really listen… I didn't realise until now what he meant." Sam could feel tears welling up from the thought of her Dad.

"What did I tell you?" Jack said quietly.

"Well… there were bubbles about."

"Bubbles?" Jack raised an eyebrow.

"…I had a hallucination of a little girl, she was blowing bubbles, it gave me the idea to get out of the cloud."

"Ah I see… so, what did I say?"

"Well… you told me to get up off my feet and get back to work but… I was so tired. Funnily enough you told me off for calling you Sir then too." She smiled with fondness at the memory, "Said we were friends. I accused you of using the air force as an excuse not to be together. Asked you to tell me if there really was anything there or not because if there wasn't I'd let you go."

"Would it really be that simple?" he stared at her.

"I didn't say it would be easy. It was just… as long as I think of you, there's no chance of being hurt by someone else. I've already hurt Pete, but I won't make that mistake again…" Sam swallowed.

"You know I've told you before, Sam… but I will always be there for you. No matter what. Clearly even in lonely spaceships."

"I know. Thankyou."

"Think nothing of it."

The silence remained between the two as they fidgeted. Sam looked up at the clock, only a few minutes or so had passed. She wondered how long a break would last… she still had so much to say, as did the General. This was only the start of revealing secrets and thoughts to each other.

"So… did I look hot?" Jack jokingly asked and Sam smacked him on the arm. The two laughed and the awkwardness faded a little. Even in this, they could still be entirely comfortable around each other.


End file.
